


The Bookstore

by Harrypotterworks (ReadingIsFundemental)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Books, Fluff, M/M, Nervous Sirius, Students, bookstore, confident remus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-18
Updated: 2018-07-18
Packaged: 2019-06-12 08:35:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15335997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReadingIsFundemental/pseuds/Harrypotterworks
Summary: Prompt‘Remus works in a bookstore, Sirius has been coming into the bookstore every day for the past two weeks, finally he has the courage to talk to Remus and the first sentence he says is “Excuse me, do you carry books in here?” and Remus just stares at him’Might turn it into a longer story, depending on the response.





	The Bookstore

Remus Lupin was a peaceful man in his early twenties, he attended the University of Liverpool, as a law student, and he worked in a bookstore that was within walking distance from the school. He would finish his classes, stop at a café for some food and then walk to work. 

It was a, musky, but, cosy bookstore, never really too busy, so during the slow periods, Remus would get some studying done. Obviously working in a bookstore, was an incredible advantage, he could order in the books he needed, and read them at work. 

The owner, was a small, chubby woman, in her early 60’s. She was that grandmother that could swear you were never fed, and then would proceed to force feed you biscuits. She had always told Remus it was perfectly fine to order in whatever he needed for his degree, as she knew law degrees were expensive and he was on minimum wage. Plus she got discount, which Remus took full advantage of. 

Remus did the 5pm to 11pm shift, it then took an estimated 10-20 minutes to close up the shop and get back to his apartment. On Sunday’s, his days off, he would explore the city, or pick up a new book, depending on his mood. 

However, today wasn’t a Sunday, it was in fact a Wednesday, one of the quieter days for the bookstore. Remus did his usual tidy up around 8ish and then went back to studying and writing notes, he would then do another tidy up around 10;30ish so that it was easier to lock up and go home. 

It was now, 9pmish and Remus had begun the chapter on Marxist Law, when the bell over the door, gave out its pleasant chime. Remus looked up from his gigantic book and spied a boy, well a man.

He had black, wavy, shoulder length hair, slightly frizzy. He was wearing sunglasses, Remus looked at his watch and raised an eyebrow, ‘sunglasses at 9pm?’ he thought quizzically, but continued to look the man up and down. Black skinny jeans, a black leather jacket and a navy top, Remus eyes were drawn to the dog tag necklace that was around his neck, reflecting light ever so slightly. ‘Army man maybe?’ 

Remus looked back down to his book and decided to leave the man to his business, if he needed help he would ask, or so Remus thought. After about ten minutes of hovering over bookcases and lifting random books out and putting them back, the doorbell chimed and the man left, with the doorbell chiming once more when the door closed behind him.

Remus didn’t take much notice of it, many customers did that. 

What Remus did begin to take notice of, was the same man coming back the next day, doing the exact same thing and the leaving. Again on Friday, and Saturday too. Every time Remus went to call over to him, the man was out the door. 

It had now been two weeks since the mysterious man and his strange bookstore routine began frequenting the bookstore, only this time, he had walked up to Remus desk, as he was taking notes on the legal positivism.

“Excuse me?” Remus looked up at the man, ‘No sunglasses today’ his blue eyes were now peering into Remus’ “Do you carry books here?” 

Remus stared at the man, Remus’ mouth was now slightly a jar as he gave the man a questioning looks, “Do we carry books?” Remus repeated back slowly and the man nodded “Well we normally roll them around on a trolley, here at the Red Robin BOOK store” Remus replied with a joke, and the store name as to answer the man without making him sound stupid. 

The man’s cheeks suddenly redden “Ah, yes, now I see why you gave me that look” he scratched the back of his neck “I meant, do you carry art books here?” a small smile slipped onto Remus’ face as he nodded and stood up to show him where they were kept “You can just point me in the directions, you don’t need to show me”

Remus was already standing and walking out from behind his desk “No offense mate, for the last two weeks you have been wondering about here like a lost puppy” Sirius blush deepened “If I just point you in a general direction, you may end up in Cardiff or Narnia” Remus joked as he began walking down through the narrow aisles of the bookstore.

Sirius smiled at the back of the man’s beige cardigan, as he lead him down passed the chemistry, biology, agriculture shelves, until they had reached the back of the store, “We keep the art ones on the middle shelf here” the man waved his arms over a small section “On the left are the history of art books and the right is general art books” Sirius nodded as his eyes scanned over the books on the shelf, “I’ll leave you too it then” 

Remus left back to his desk, before Sirius could mutter out a small thank you, he quickly plucked the books out he needed and walked back up to the desk, trying not to bang into the shelves with his seven books poorly stacked in his arms, with his chin barely balancing them.

He got to the desk and dropped them all over the desk, almost knocking over Remus’ cup of tea, “I am so sorry” he stuttered out as remus stopped the cup from flying off the desk.

Remus just smiled “It’s fine, no need to apologise” Remus eyed the books, that were recklessly spread over his desk and began to neatly pile them up “Are you an art student?” he asked and Sirius nodded, “Would you be interested in our student membership, for £10 a month, you can borrow however many books you’d like, we can order in as many as you need and you have a month before you have to return them?” Remus rhymed off, like he was reading a script, Sirius nodded again not being able to speak.

He didn’t know what had happened to him, he was the confident, cocky, one of his friend group but for some reason, he couldn’t find his voice. 

“Smart move” Remus commented as he opened up the application page on the computer, “Just need some of your details, if that’s okay, name?”

“Sirius” he cleared his throat “Sirius Black” Remus held back the joke he was going to make, about the dog tag and being named after the dog star, as much as it begging to get out.

Remus asked a few more, age, email address and phone number, before giving him the membership card that would just need to be scanned every time he took a book. Remus stamped in his books and was putting them into a bag for Sirius when Sirius had a question.

“Do you have a book on dating for dummies because I'm hopeless” he sighed out and Remus looked up from the pile of books.

“No but we can order one in, if you’d like?” he offered not too sure how to reply.

Sirius looked at Remus and sucked in a huge breath “Would you like to go for a coffee?” 

Remus smiled at the nervous boy, who was now playing with the sleeves of his leather jacket, “You know, I was hoping youd ask me that”

Sirius eyes shot up from the floor, to stare into Remus’ “Are you serious?”

Remus couldn’t hold it in, “No you're Sirius, and I’m Remus Lupin, nice to meet you” he held out his hand and Sirius burst out laughing, that one joke alone, managed to clear the nervous tension Sirius had built around himself. He clasped Remus hand in his and shook it lightly.

“Very funny Mr Lupin”

“I do try, Mr Black, you can just call me, the pun master” Remus said with an empty expression on his face,

“I will never utter those words to you, and frankly I am embarrassed that they would come out of your mouth so shamelessly” Sirius joked as he grabbed his bag of books, “Where is your dignity?”

“Frankly, I am ashamed that you thought I had any dignity to lose to begin with” Remus smiled as Sirius turned to leave, “So when is our date?” Remus asked as he watched Sirius walk to the door.

“You have my number on your system, text me” 

With that the bell above the door chimed as he opened the door and left, Remus put his head back and looked to the ceiling, letting a happy sigh leave his lips as he heard the bell chime signalling the door had closed and that it was time to close up.


End file.
